Larne, town and former district (1973–2015) within the former County Antrim, now in the Mid and East Antrim district, northeastern Northern Ireland, bordering the Irish Sea north of Belfast. The Scot Edward Bruce landed near the present town site in 1315 when he attempted to free Ireland from English rule. His death three years later ended all hopes of an independent Scots-Irish kingdom. Larne town developed as a holiday resort after 1900. In 1914 Ulster unionists opposed to a Roman Catholic-dominated independent Ireland unloaded large numbers of German-made rifles in Larne harbour. Contemporary Larne town is an important port equipped with modern loading facilities. Passenger and commercial services operated regularly between Larne and Stranraer until 1995, when the route was discontinued. Such services continue to operate between Larne and Cairnryan in Scotland.
The former Larne district extended from the village of Ballynure in the south to the headland of Garron Point in the north and from the peninsula of Island Magee in the east to the peaks of the Antrim Mountains in the west. Northern Larne is composed of high rolling moorlands, dissected near the coast by scenic wooded glens, while in the southern part of the former district the high moors descend more gradually into hills and lowlands and then to the flat shores of Larne Lough (inlet of the sea). Tourism and harbour services at Larne town are the main industries. The Antrim Coast Road—one of the greatest tourist attractions in Northern Ireland, with its many miles of bays, headlands, and cliffs—begins at Larne town. Limestone is quarried for cement at Magheramorne. Area former district, 131 square miles (340 square km). Pop. (2001) town, 18,210; (2011) town, 18,705.